Forever After
by xxxooo
Summary: Edward is the crown prince of Arosia, heir to the throne. Bella is the palace's newest servant. The vampire is instantly drawn to the lamb. Secrets, love, consequences - will they have their own 'happily every after?
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

"What are you saying?" I asked, feeling confused.

Sara looked over her shoulder to make sure nobody was listening. She bent her head towards me. "Look. I'm saying—you cannot marry Prince Edward," she spoke in a hushed tone.

I frowned. Really, Sara was being totally weird today. Come to think of it, she has been acting weird ever since I told her about Edward's proposal. "Why, Sara?"

She looked at me gravely. "You will never fit in. His world is completely different from yours, believe me."

We paused at a magazine stand. I picked up a copy of Arosia Cosmo, eyeing the side story: 'Most Eligible Bachelors: Prince Edward Ranks #1!'

Sara sighed. "Look, just because all of Arosia thinks he is the most eligible bachelor doesn't mean he is right for you."

I stared at Sara, shocked. I knew these Arosian people were very protective of their royals, but this was ridiculous. "Sara, I am not marrying Edward because he is the most eligible bachelor. I couldn't care less. I know I'm just a servant but I love him, and he loves me. I know he does."

Sara met my gaze unwaveringly. "If he loves you as much as he says he does, Princess, why don't you ask him to tell you the truth," she spat.

I blinked. What was she talking about? "The truth?"

I had to admit, if Sara was trying to scare me, it was working.

"Ask him, Bella," Sara hissed, eyeing the people around us warily. She hesitated for about a split second. "Because if I tell you, then they'd have to kill me."


	2. Daddy's Little Girl

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

**1 – Daddy's Little Girl**

~ Bella ~

"This one year away thing is scaring me, Bells," Charlie admitted. He scooped up a mouthful of mashed potato and ate, thoughtfully staring at me. I had cooked quite a special meal that night—mashed potatoes and some lemon basil chicken. It was Charlie's favorite meal, and I had cooked it for our last dinner together before I went away to Europe for an entire year.

"Dad, I'll be fine," I insisted. I had told Charlie I wanted to travel for an entire year before starting college. I wanted to do a little soul searching, get out of the safety of being the town's chief police's daughter and be Miss Independent. I thought he would never agree to it. But after months of wheedling, convincing and being a goody-goody, he finally said yes.

Charlie shook his head, taking a big gulp of orange juice. "I saw this thing on TV last night, there was a group of kids travelling through Europe—"

"I know, I know. They end up in some creepy hostel where they get killed one by one." I laughed at the absurdity of it. I couldn't believe Charlie actually bought that stuff.

"Bells, it's not funny. You're going to Europe alone," Charlie protested. His eyebrows furrowed. "I'd be more at ease if you were going with someone. Say, Jacob. Now, I've known that boy since he was a baby. I know he can protect you."

I rolled my eyes. "First of all, Dad, it was only a movie. There are no scary half-monster-half-man creatures who kill tourists with huge saws as hands in real life."

"But—"

"And second of all," I interrupted. "No way am I stringing along Jacob Black. He is my very best friend but this is my year. How am I supposed to learn how to be independent with Jacob there?"

Charlie sighed and shook his head. "You are just as headstrong as your mother."

I smiled. "Yeah, I got that from her, didn't I?" I sighed wistfully, thinking of my mother. She died a couple of years ago. Charlie and I still missed her a lot.

Charlie cracked a small grin. "Certainly did. God, if she weren't gone, Rene would kill me for letting you do this." He shook his head and fell silent for a couple of minutes, I thought he finally let it go. "Then again, maybe she won't. What are you going to do there exactly?"

I sighed. "I don't know, Dad. That's kind of the whole point. I want to backpack through Europe without any plans. Live on the edge a little, you know?"

Charlie shot me a warning look. "You are not going to live on the edge, Isabella. You will call me frequently and tell me your whereabouts."

"Dad," I whined, pouting a little. "That's hardly being independent. If there's one thing I learned from Mom's death, it's that life is too short. I want to see the world while I still can."

"You are only 18 years old, Bella. You will call or I will not allow you to go," Charlie said sternly. He had that I'm-serious-don't-try-me look on his face that I finally gave in.

Well, sort of.

And, anyway, I didn't want to get into the whole I'm-now-an-adult argument. I knew Charlie was only looking out for me. He was devastated when we lost my mother so he got overprotective at times. At a lot of times.

"Fine," I mumbled. "I'll call and tell you which hostel I'm staying when I jump to a new place."

Charlie eyed me warily. He pushed his food around.

"Come on, Dad."

"All right, all right," Charlie agreed with a sigh. "I'll be waiting for the day when you'll call me to ask for money because your funds ran out while you were shopping or something."

"You know I don't go shopping," I said with a laugh. "Besides, I plan on taking a temp job," I quipped, not sure whether telling him this was a good idea or not.

"What kind of temp job?" he asked suspiciously.

I shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. Babysitting, maybe. Whatever I can get, I guess."

When I saw his face getting worried again, I immediately said, "Don't worry, I'll be fine. I'll try not to get hired by a half-monster with saw hands."

I could see his lips were twitching. He was caving in, I was winning.

I grinned at him, indicating my victory.

Charlie rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. "All right, all right. I won't make you cancel your ticket. But remember to ask for directions if you get lost," he ordered. "I know how shy you can be."

"Yes, Dad," I said. "Come on, stop worrying. If I get lost and I'm too shy to ask, I'll just sleep in some street corner."

Charlie glared at me.

I laughed. "Relax, I'm just kidding."

He sighed again. "I just can't believe my little girl is all grown up now."

My heart swelled. Charlie was not very expressive with regards to his feelings. When my mother died, it was like he had closed his heart off. For him to have said what he just said—it meant a whole lot to me.

I smiled at him reassuringly. "I'll always be your little girl, Daddy."


	3. Miss Independent

**A/N: Thanks for the interest. I hope you guys are enjoying so far. :)**

**2 – Miss Independent**

~ Bella ~

I woke up to the sound of the pilot's voice announcing our descent over England. About a thousand small butterflies came rushing to my stomach. Over the past few days, I had been feeling excited.

No plans, no time worries. I could just do whatever I wanted to do, whenever I wanted to do it.

It sounded perfect back when I was still in Forks.

Now it just sounded scary.

It was exciting, the fact that this was my first trip abroad. That this was my first trip alone.

Now it was just scary.

I was one of the very last ones to deplane. I followed everyone else through the airport.

_Wow. Heathrow is huge._

I skipped the baggage claim since—staying true to the term "backpacking"—I only had a backpack with me. Charlie argued how on earth I was going to live through an entire year living only on one backpack. I had no idea either, but I was going to figure it out. There had to be some cheap stuff in some flea market or something.

I was grateful Charlie had some of my money exchanged back home so I didn't have to worry about it. After grabbing a few maps and info guides, I sat down on the nearest chair to think about where I was going.

As I unfolded the map, I felt a surge of excitement. I scanned the tourist spots: British Museum, London Eye, Trafalgar Square, Tower of London, National History Museum, Tate Modern. I felt very grown up as I scanned through the list of attractions, making a mental note of the places I wanted to go to. No one to tell me where to go, when to go.

I was enjoying myself so much that I completely forgot I didn't have a room booked yet. Butterflies somehow managed to rush back into my stomach. I started to feel queasy.

What if every hostel in town was booked? I didn't want to spend my money on some fancy hotel.

What if the fancy hotels were all booked too? That thought didn't ease the queasy feeling. In fact, that thought worsened it.

I decided to walk around. I was pretty sure I had passed an internet café earlier. Maybe I can try booking online.

I felt out of place walking around in my backpack among the people in smart business suits, smiling to myself whenever I spotted occasional backpackers like myself. Heathrow Airport was huge. It was like a million times the size of my high school.

After about an hour of walking around, my feet started to hurt and I was beginning to get hungry. I eyed the line of chairs that I passed. They didn't look too uncomfortable. Maybe I could sleep in one of those tonight and look for a hostel tomorrow.

I shook my head. _I have to book a room for tonight. Or else, it'd be day one and I'd have already failed._

I silently reprimanded myself for not booking a room in advance. It was a stupid thing to do, arriving in a foreign country with nowhere to sleep for the night. Charlie would never let me hear the end of it if he knew.

I was about to give up all hope searching for the internet café when I suddenly found myself walking past it. My heart did a little leap of joy, probably happy that I wouldn't have to sleep in the airport tonight. I hurriedly walked inside and asked for a free computer. It took a while before I found a hostel that did not require a credit card to book. I thought I really was going to have to spend the night in the airport. When that was done, I walked around a bit to find something to eat.

I walked into a fast food restaurant called Uncle Joe's. They sold American food. After buying my food, I found out that there was no vacant table. _Turns out I'm not the only one who's hungry._

I walked around the restaurant, hoping some kind person would offer me a seat. Apparently, everybody was too busy eating or talking to notice a girl walking around with a tray of food and no table. My stomach churned, I could smell the yummy double cheeseburger I had ordered.

Swallowing any shame that I had, I approached a girl. She was alone in her table, reading a map. "Excuse me."

Nothing.

"Excuse me," I said a little louder. The girl looked up. "Do you mind if I sit here? Every table is taken."

The girl smiled and moved her stuff. "I don't mind at all, do take a sit."

Whew. I set my tray on the table and sat down. "Thank you," I said shyly. "My name is Bella. I'm from the United States."

"Hi, Bella," she said warmly. "I'm Nikki. I'm American too. I actually just got here this morning. Haven't left the airport yet since I'm waiting for my boyfriend. He's on a different flight. We'll be touring Europe together."

"Oh," I replied. Touring Europe with a boyfriend would have been nice. "That sounds nice."

I ate my food while making conversation with Nikki. She was very nice, she shared some travel tips and she told me which places were must-visits. She and her boyfriend were touring Europe for two months.

When I finished my food, I said goodbye to her.

"Thanks again, Nikki," I said, not feeling very shy anymore. "I do hope I bump into you again."

"Who knows?" she said, waving. "Bye, Bella! Take care of yourself."

I made my way out of the airport, a million thoughts running through my mind. The places I would go, the people I would meet. How I was going to get to places, how long I would survive on my own.

Once I was outside, I stopped and looked around.

_How do I get to my hostel?_ I really needed to make a habit of finding out how to go where before I started walking.

A few meters away, there was a taxi queue. Was that the only way out of the airport?

"Excuse me," I said softly to a nice-looking gentleman about Charlie's age, swallowing the shyness that was beginning to surface.

He smiled. "How may I help you, my dear?" he asked, cocking his head slightly to one side.

Whew.

_I hope everyone in London is this friendly._

"I was wondering if you have an idea how I can get here," I asked him bravely, showing him the hostel's address. "Would a taxi be a good idea?"

The gentleman chuckled. "A taxi would cost an arm. Unless you have some money to spare, you'd best be off by the tube."

"You mean, the subway?" I asked, looking around to see where it was.

"Yes," he replied with an amused smile. "As you Americans would call it." He pointed and gave me directions to the subway, which station to get out, even directions to the hostel.

"Thank you, sir," I said gratefully, returning his smile.

"No worries, dear," he said kindly. "Best of luck!"

I smiled to myself as I made my way to the tube. All traces of fear had disappeared.

_I can do this. I can do this. I can do this._

As I stepped inside the station, I felt good. I felt free.

I felt independent.


	4. Royal Prince

**3 – The Royal Prince**

~ Edward ~

"Hey," Alice greeted when she saw me descend the grand staircase. Alice was in the sitting room with her husband, Jasper. With the way they were both sprawled across the couch, one would never think they were royalty.

Jasper was not a royal until he wedded Alice and became a prince. But he was from a family of aristocrats, they were very high profile in Arosia. I liked Jasper. He was very easy to talk to, even without the use of his talent. Some vampires had talents and Jasper had the ability to control how one could feel. I could not do that, but I had the ability to hear the thoughts of those around me.

Alice was my favorite sister. She was almost always in a good mood and I can talk to her about anything, which is a contrast to our sister Rosalie – I can never seem to find a topic that would not bore her or annoy her. Alice has the ability to see events that will happen in the future. Rosalie is the only one among us three who did not have a talent. She seemed to be content with being extremely beautiful, though. In fact, a number of old vampires agree that they have never seen Rosalie's beauty paralleled. They were both older than me.

"Sweet jacket," Emmett said with a whistle as he entered the living room. He was carrying a glass of red juice in one hand, and dragged along a laughing Rose with his other hand. That is what astounded me about Emmett – Rosalie never seemed to like laughing very much until the two of them met and got married. Emmett was the son of the Duke of Woshire.

Being his usual inane self, Emmett stopped walking in front of me and bowed down in an exaggerated fashion. "Your car is ready, Prince Edward, sir," he said, adapting our butler's strong British accent.

Rosalie rolled her eyes playfully and swatted his arm. "Oh, Emmett, stop acting silly. You're going to make Edward late."

Emmett straightened up and clapped my back. "Where are you off to, my man?"

"I'm off to the charity ball you and Jasper declined to go to," I answered indignantly. "Since I seem to be the only fine and upstanding prince in this Palace." I lifted my chin jokingly.

Jasper chuckled. He played with Alice's hair. "This one is for you, Edward. Maybe you'll meet someone there." He and Alice met in one of the countless balls we attended in the past.

I shook my head. "I think we all know I have met everyone that I could possibly meet in Arosia," I said, surreptitiously feeling somewhat sad. "Arosia is a small country, and our circle is even smaller. I think I have rubbed elbows with enough aristocrats and nobles."

_Who says you have to marry a royal or an aristocrat?_ Alice thought. _You can marry anyone. I'm sure Dad wouldn't mind._

"Yet no one seems to interest you," Emmett said disbelievingly. "Girls from all over the country throw themselves at you, Edward, vampire girls. Hot vampire girls. Hot vampire girls with titles. Newly turned hot vampire girls with titles." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Rosalie whacked him on the head.

Everyone laughed, myself included. "You like that very much, don't you, Emmett?"

Emmett wiggled his eyebrows again. Rose whacked his head once more.

I laughed and shook my head, walking towards the door. "All right, I better get going. Mother and Father should be there be now. I do not want to keep them waiting. You know, fine and upstanding."

"Yeah, right." Alice hurled a throw pillow at me. It bounced off my shoulder and hit an ancestral lamp next to me, breaking it into pieces. "You really should watch it, Alice," I teased. "You know, super strength and all."

"Oops," she said with a giggle. "Enjoy the party, Edward." _And don't worry. You'll find someone, _Alice thought.

I smiled at her. "Nice thought, big sister."

I walked towards the car waiting for me. As I looked out the window, I began to wonder if I ever was going to find someone. I have roamed the world for over a hundred years. Decades and decades of searching, not ever finding someone. So I just stopped. If there was someone out there for me, circumstances will let us meet one day.

But that was just me. Everyone else was still pushing me to keep on searching. I was the heir to the throne, being the only son of the King of Arosia. And apparently, I would need a Queen.

My mother wished someone for me the hardest, but for a different reason. She thinks I am too lonely. And she is more concerned about that rather than Arosia needing a queen someday.

I think she knows me too well. Even more than I know my own heart.

Sometimes I see her looking at me wistfully. I knew she felt sad, it was as if she felt the loneliness that I did not even feel. I loved her for that. My mother might be Queen, but she was the best mother I could have ever hoped for. Some one hundred years on earth taught me I had one of the very best.

I was so deep in thought that I had not even realized we had already arrived. A bodyguard opened my door and I stepped out of the car. Bodyguards were not really necessary.

Vampires were very strong all on their own. The royal family, however, needed bodyguards to protect us in very rare cases that we might get attacked by a pack of vampires. There was no chance of that happening in Arosia as it was a fairly peaceful country. Vampires were never allowed to harm the humans so we all co-existed in peace. The bodyguards have been extensively trained to protect vampires. They were wolves and had great strength. Wolves and vampires used to be enemies – the wolves loathed vampires for the reason that vampires killed people. Under my grandfather's rule, the wolves and vampires of Arosia have signed a treaty, agreeing that no human should be harmed by vampires in all of Arosia. Since then, they have been allies.

Vampires were born human into aristocratic and royal families in Arosia. At some point in our lives, we begin transitioning into vampires. When the transition is completed, we stop aging and become true vampires. Some, however, never make it past the transition or don't transition at all. It is different for every vampire, the transition. On some it is easy, on some it could be difficult. It is the period that one learns his or her powers and one must know how to control them. The lust for blood is the hardest to control – those who fail to do so get banished from Arosia. No vampire was permitted to drink human blood in Arosia. The vampire who does gets punished by the Volturi. The Volturi is known as the Secret Keeper. They make sure the secret of Arosia remain in Arosia.

Almost all royals and aristocrats in Arosia were vampires – a very well-kept secret by the Arosian people. Not a single human outside of Arosia knew of this. Betraying this secret is the highest offense an Arosian can commit.

"The Royal Prince of Arosia, Prince Edward!" the doorman announced as I entered the room, his voice booming throughout the entire ballroom.

I walked into the ballroom. I smiled and waved in acknowledgement as I made my way to the front of the room where the King and Queen were sitting.

_Oh, goodness, he's fine._

_Is he dating someone?_

_Marry me, Prince Edward._

_Where is Prince Emmett?_

A slew of thoughts hit me. Immediately I shut them down to a buzz. There was nothing in their thoughts that interested me, anyway. I knew from experience. Listening to women's thoughts only led me to boredom. It was the same thing over and over: men, ball gowns, make up. That was the unfortunate thing about being able to hear thoughts. It could get very noisy if I didn't tune them down. But it did get very useful, especially in times of danger.

"Hello, Mother," I greeted, kissing her cheek. "Hello, Father." I came over and stood by his side.

"Hello, son. It's about time you got here. There are a lot of belles without princes."

I groaned. "Dad." To everybody else, he was King Carlisle. But to me, he was just plain old Dad – someone I could come to for brilliant advice and joke around with. Both my parents looked very young, having completed the transition in their early thirties. The outside world would surely be bewildered how they could have ruled Arosia for years and years yet still look very young.

He laughed, holding his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay. No more cheap shots." He clapped my back affectionately. I loved the King. He was an excellent and honorable leader, and a very compassionate father at the same time. His were very big shoes to fill.

The Queen Esme smiled. "Your father is right, Edward. You are a dashing boy, a lot of girls would have you. I am certain of that."

"Yes, mother," I said with a sigh. "But like I have said a thousand times over, there is no one that interests me."

Esme smiled sympathetically and patted his back. "Yet. But that's all right, son. You will find her one day. In the meantime, be a gentleman and ask some ladies to dance."

"Yes, Your Royal Highness," I teased, kissing her cheek. I looked around the room discreetly. I saw a very familiar redhead standing by the refreshments table.

"Tanya?" I called, my voice booming. Several people turned to look at me curiously.

Tanya was part of the Denali clan. They were from Alaska. I had stayed with them when I was roaming the world ten years back. Like the Arosian royal family, aristocrats and noblemen, they were also vegetarians, drinking only the blood of animals.

Tanya turned with an expectant smile on her face. _I knew you would find me, Prince Edward._

I chuckled. I excused myself from the King and Queen before making my way to her. She curtsied when I stood before her. "How do you do, Prince Edward?" she greeted me prettily.

I laughed and pulled her in for a big hug. "Very well, thank you. How have you been? It has been ten years since I last saw you! Where are your sisters?"

"Well, that's because you never visit me anymore," she replied with a playful pout. Tanya's feelings for me were never a secret. Even though she knew I did not return her affection, she was always open about hers. Despite that, there was never any awkwardness between us. She knew I loved her like a sister.

"I've been busy," I said apologetically. I held out my hand. "Dance with me?"

Tanya smiled. "I thought you'd never ask."

_Who is that girl?_

_Why is Prince Edward dancing with her?_

_Is she of noble descent?_

_Are they a couple?_

Thoughts immediately buzzed as Tanya and I made our to the dance floor.

"I bet all the girls here are jealous now," Tanya said with a teasing smile. "You're such a catch, Prince Edward. Always were, always will be. You're lucky you got turned at 18. Forever young."

"Well, you're not so bad yourself, 24."

"I know, right?" Tanya winked.

"So how have you been?" I asked, slowly smiling. "You're looking better than when I last saw you. Your hair is definitely looking better." I enjoyed teasing her.

Tanya slapped me on the back. "That haircut was ten years ago, dude. Let it go," she complained. She was originally from Slovakia before she moved to Alaska. When we had met, she had no clue who I was. She and her sisters had treated me like a normal person, not like the Prince of Arosia. That was the great thing about Tanya and her sisters. They still treated me the same way.

"What brings you to Arosia?" I asked as we whirled around the dance floor.

"I heard you were looking for a bride," Tanya quipped with a smile.

She looked like she meant it, I was going to believe her if I had not caught the sly twinkle in her eyes. I laughed. "Sorry to disappoint," I replied with a smile of my own. "But I'm not looking for a bride."

Tanya laughed. "Oh, do get over yourself, Edward," she said easily. She rolled her eyes. "Even if you are the most eligible bachelor in Arosia, I really am just visiting with my sisters. Surely, you didn't think you were the only one we knew in Arosia, did you?" She batted her eyes playfully.

I shook my head in laughter. "You are a crazy girl, Tanya."

I spent the night with Tanya, talking and dancing. Sometimes we went for a break to drink and danced again. People were getting very suspicious. This would surely be in the tabloids tomorrow.

Being the Royal Prince meant I was a public figure, I was public property. The tabloids were always following me around, hoping to get a story. If they did not have one, they would make one up.

That was the hard thing. Because I was a public figure, everyone saw me.

And they either praised me or criticized me.

I was either good or bad. Right or wrong. A gentleman or a toad.

Nothing in between.

Along with the fame and fortune, there were responsibilities.

Accountabilities.

Expectations.

If you did not meet those, there would be scandal. Gossip.

Everybody expected me to be perfect. Everybody expected me to be faultless.

See, it was not so very easy being the Royal Prince.


	5. Lost

**4 – Lost**

~ Bella ~

"Hey! Hey!"

I groaned as I shifted in my place, trying to find a comfortable position. Trains did not cooperate when you want to sleep. Its chairs are quite uncomfortable.

I felt like my shoulder was being shaken. I opened my eyes slowly.

"Get out of the train," a mean-looking man told me gruffly. "We have arrived at Arosia."

I slowly straightened up. "Wait, what?" I asked, suddenly very awake. "Arosia?"

"Yes, Arosia," he answered impatiently. "Specifically in Erosti."

I looked out the window in panic. "Erosti, Arosia?" At least I knew Erosti was the capital of Arosia. Thank God for Honors Geography. But I did not want to come to Arosia. I wanted to go to Austria.

"Yes," the man replied, seeming very irritated. "Please alight the train, miss. You are the only passenger left onboard."

I stood up immediately, grabbing my backpack. "But I wanted to go to Austria, not Arosia."

He stared daggers at me. "Can I see your ticket?"

I handed him my ticket wordlessly.

"Your ticket is for Arosia," he said gruffly but not quite as much anymore. I could tell he felt sorry for me. "They gave you the wrong ticket. Must have been a misunderstanding, they sound quite alike. Don't worry, this happens to a handful of people. You can still tour around here, Erosti is a beautiful place and Arosia a very rich country"

I took my ticket back, staring at it. I felt like kicking myself. How could I have missed this?

_How in the world could I have overlooked something as important as my ticket?_ I thought as I hurried out the train.

I had to admit, I was feeling really scared. It was only my fourth week in Europe and my funds were already running low. I wasn't able to get a job in London and Germany, they all asked for references. I looked around the station, looking for maps and information guides. I caught a glimpse of the huge clock hanging right above the ticket center. It read 30 minutes past 8 o'clock.

I wanted to smack myself for two reasons: for failing to notice my screwed ticket, and for getting lost at night. If I had to get lost, couldn't I have gotten lost during the daytime? Ugh.

_I swear I had to be the most unlucky person in the planet._

After grabbing a handful of maps and brochures, I walked outside and found a bus interchange right next to the train station. I scanned the bus routes and chose the quickest way to the central part of Erosti. I walked quickly, not wanting to waste more time. Now finding a hostel room surely would be a challenge.

I got to Erosti a good hour later. It looked very much like London, only it had fewer people and it was not raining. I walked through the streets, keeping my head up for hostels and hotels. I had passed by four hostels already and all were booked for the night. Arosia was, apparently, gaining popularity among tourists.

My heart skipped a beat as I entered the brightly painted door of the last hostel in the street.

_I hope I can get a room here._

London was never this full, I could always find a hostel even at the last minute. Granted it was very far from the city, but still.

"How may I help you?" a young girl asked behind the reception desk. The Arosian accent sounded perfect – British English but not too heavy. It was like a cross between American and British Englisg, I loved it.

"I'd like to stay for the night," I said hopefully, looking around the cozy hostel. It was small and pretty. There were three brightly colored couches in the lobby, each looking very comfortable and nice. I wanted to curl up on the couch next to the fireplace.

The girl smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, miss," she said. "We're all booked for the night."

I sighed dejectedly. It was past 10 o'clock at night, I wanted nothing but to roll in bed and sleep until noon. "Do you know where I can book a room? Preferably the nearest one."

"Erosti Place is only two blocks away," she said encouragingly. "But it is quite pricey. You may want to book a room for the night and look for a hostel room tomorrow morning."

I nodded. "Yes, that would be just fine. Can you give me directions to the hotel, please?"

I walked slowly, following the directions the girl had given me. It was only two blocks away but I felt like I had been walking since forever.

_If only I got here in the morning._

_No._

_If only I hadn't gotten lost at all._

Ugh.

My legs felt like they were about to give out, having walked for over an hour in search of hostels. The queasy feeling that I had not felt since I left Heathrow was beginning to find its way back.

I knew very little about Arosia. For some reason, it never caught my interest back when I was studying world geography. I knew it was a small but rich country, with Erosti as its capital. That was all that I knew.

That was freaking all that I knew and here I was, walking in one of its wide streets at near midnight.

Panic started to set in.

_What if I never find the hotel?_

_What if all the nearby hotels are already booked?_

_Calm down, Bella. Calm down._

I took deep breaths as I walked, hoping it would ease my panic.

The panic changed to paranoia when I heard footsteps behind me. I looked back and saw a big burly man following me. He had what looked like a bottle of beer in one hand.

My heart started beating faster as I quickened my pace. I turned my head slightly and saw that the man matched my pace. No, he was walking faster.

As soon as I realized there was no one else around, I broke into a run. I could already see the hotel at a distance. I ran as fast as I could, not even knowing where this adrenaline came from.

_It's just across the street!_

I had never been so scared in my life. Running across the street, I slowed down a little and turned to see if the man was still following me.

I didn't see the man.

Instead, I saw a pair of headlights coming straight towards me. I froze in place. I knew it was too late for him to hit the breaks, he was going too fast.

Wham!

And everything went black.


	6. Freesias and Brown Eyes

**5 – Freesias and Brown Eyes**

~ Edward ~

Bang!

The car screeched to a stop and the driver bolted out of his door as quickly as possible. I looked up from the book I was reading and saw him carrying an unconscious girl in his arms, her eyes shut and her brown hair fanning all around her shoulders. One arm dangled carelessly.

I dropped my book and quickly threw the door open. "Good heavens, Richard! Did we hit the poor girl?"

"I'm afraid so, Your Highness," the chauffeur, Richard, replied. He looked quite harried as he entered the back of the limousine and promptly laid the girl opposite me.

I rushed to the girl's side and examined her warily. She had a head wound and blood was oozing. I was not worried, I had been around human blood countless times in the past. Having gained a medical degree among a list of my others, I had helped Carlisle attend to soldiers during the war and I volunteered many weekends at the Erosti Hospital.

I removed my shirt and carefully applied pressure on her wound with it, willing for the blood to stop flowing. If it did not, we had to take her to the hospital before she lost more blood.

"Think she'll be okay?" Richard asked, his accent thick with worry.

"She's breathing and her heart beat seems normal," I said, nodding slowly. "Let's hope all she has is this wound." I checked her wound and saw that the blood had stopped flowing. I smiled at Richard reassuringly. "Let's take her to the Palace. She can get treated in the infirmary."

Richard nodded and hurried out of the car, slamming the door shut.

That's when I caught a whiff of air.

And that's when it hit me.

Freesias.

Sweet-smelling freesias.

It hit me so hard, I did not want to breathe. It was the sweetest blood I had ever smelled.

This girl's blood smelled of freesias.

My stomach churned. I could feel the burn at the back of my throat. It was intensifying, minute by minute.

I had never met anybody who smelled like freesias.

Her scent was unmistakably the sweetest, most tempting I had ever smelled in my entire existence.

I could feel the monster inside me threatening to make its way to the surface, wanting to break the beautiful calm and peace that was right in front of me. The monster wanted to tear her apart and drain her for all she was worth.

Slowly, I drew my face close to her neck. I wanted to smell it again.

One more time.

Just one—

_No!_

I reeled back as if I had been slapped hard in the face, as if I had been punched in the gut.

_If you smell her this close, _I reprimanded myself. _You will surely kill her._

Shame washed over me as I realized the possible outcome of what I had done. The first thing Carlisle taught me was to never ever play with fire, especially if you know you'll get burned. The consequences of one's actions were just that—consequences. And these consequences could never undo what has already been done.

I always took pride in the fact that I was always able to shut off the lust for blood inside me, almost very easily. It was never any trouble for me.

Carlisle and Esme raised me strong, they raised me well. I was not supposed to feel this way.

I took the seat at the corner, as far away from the girl as possible.

"Drive fast," I ordered Richard. My voice sounded clipped as I was not breathing.

Across from me, the girl lay pale and motionless. I could hear her heart beating. I could see her pulse racing.

It could almost hear the blood through her veins, imagine how her blood would taste, feel it trickling down my lips.

I squeezed my eyes shut. It was almost too much for me to handle.

I sniffed, hoping the smell of freesias had eased up a little.

Bang!

All the same, it hit me like a ton of bricks again. Just as strong, just as sweet.

Twice as tempting.

My throat burned. I had never been in this much pain.

I grabbed the bottle red juice that I had been sipping on the way back from the ball and took a swig, hoping the animal blood would ease the burn.

One gulp, two gulps.

Not helpful. The burn was just as strong.

I finished the entire bottle of red juice.

And I was pathetically feeling the same way.

I was beginning to feel angry. Angry at myself.

Why wasn't this helping? Animal blood was supposed to help!

The ride seemed to go on forever. I wanted to get out and run home, maybe that would have been faster. I felt the monster in me begin to emerge again as I watched the girl's blood dribble from her wound down to her nose.

My throat burned like hell.

It took all of me to resist the very strong urge.

I glared at the girl. Who was she? What was she doing in Arosia? How dare she come into my life and challenge me like this?

I banged the window, and it shattered to pieces.

Richard stepped on the brakes and whipped his head. "Are you all right, sir?"

"Yes," I barked. "Drive as fast as you possibly can to the Palace."

This was impossible.

This was not possible at all.

Over a hundred years of control and total command of my blood lust—and now this.

One girl, just one girl. That was all it took.

One mistake, and this one girl could change my life forever.

This one pale, beautiful girl.

One beautiful girl who smelled so much like freesias.

I did not understand.

One part of me wanted to loathe the girl for making me feel helpless, making me feel weak. And yet, a bigger part of me knew I could never hate a girl like that.

I could never hate a girl who had the thickest brown lashes I had ever seen.

I could never hate a girl who had the most delicate hands.

I could never hate a girl who had the most blameless face.

We were at the Palace gates when the girl's eyes fluttered open.

And that's when I knew—I could never hate this girl.

No.

Not with endlessly beautiful brown eyes like those.

Not now. Not ever.


	7. The Prince and the Pauper

**A/N: Hey, guys! Sorry it took quite long, I went on a vacation last week. Thanks for the reviews and favorites! Hope you enjoy this chapter. **

**6 – The Prince and the Pauper**

~ Bella ~

I opened my eyes to find a Greek god staring at me.

A shirtless Greek god.

Had I died and gone to heaven?

I opened my mouth and then closed it on second thought.

Was I allowed to speak to the Greek god?

"Um," I said as I slowly got up. When I did, the world spun around me and I ended up lying back down and closing my eyes.

"Do not get up yet," the Greek god said in a tight voice. "The nurses will get you."

Nurses?

There were no nurses in heaven. Right?

The car came to a stop and I opened my eyes again. The Greek god bolted out of the car before I could even ask him anything.

My head was still spinning so I closed my eyes again, wondering if I could stay in this car for the night. What had happened anyway? Why was I in some stranger's car in the first place? Had I been drugged? It sure felt like it, my head would not stop spinning and it felt heavier than two tons of cement.

"Hello?" a kind voice said. "Are you awake?"

I forced my eyes to open. They widened when I saw an older version of the Greek god, clad in a suit with countless badges and medals. "Who are you? Did you drug me? Wait, didn't you just look younger a minute ago? God, I must be going crazy."

Talking hurt my head, I found out. So I closed my eyes again.

"I am Carlisle, the King of Arosia. You have been hit my by son's car," the kind voice explained. "Tell me what hurts."

"My head," I whined. I could not believe I was whining to the King of Arosia.

Wait, what?

I bolted right up, forgetting that my head felt as heavy as the car. "What? The King of Arosia?" I stared at the kind man in front of me. He looked young and very handsome, his belly was not big at all. Didn't kings have big beer bellies?

The King nodded and smiled. "Do be careful, dear. Your wound looks quite swollen. Maybe it would be best if you lie back down."

"I—I'm fine, Your Highness," I stammered, still unbelieving. His skin was very white and he had bluish circles under his eyes like he had not slept for days. He looked like a movie star complete with costume.

The King chuckled. "I don't believe so," he countered gently. "You have a head wound, which should be making you dizzy. How bad does it hurt?"

Now that he mentioned it, I did feel quite a sting on my forehead. Instinctively, I reached up and touched it gingerly.

Ow.

My wound felt sore, very sore. And wet.

I looked at my hand and felt a wave of nausea wash over me.

And then I fainted.

I did not know where I was when I woke up. Or how long I had been out. I was in a huge bed in a beautiful bedroom that looked like a princess's room. The curtains around the bed were drawn, and the Greek god was standing beside the bed.

Staring at me.

The Greek god was staring at me.

Oh. My. Gosh.

He smirked. "You walk alone in a deserted street in the middle of the night and yet the sight of blood makes you faint."

"The smell of blood makes me nauseous," I retorted, frowning. This Greek god had a lot of nerve laughing at me after hitting me with his car. "Don't laugh at me, you're the one who ran me over!"

"First, I'm not laughing," he said easily, still smirking. "And second, I did not run you over, Isabella. My driver did."

His driver? What was he, a diplomat? An aristocrat? Wasn't he too young for that? And how did he know my name?

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever."

I slowly got up, making sure I was not feeling dizzy anymore. When I was feeling pretty much steadied, I quickly stood up, making the dizzy spell come back.

"Careful now," the Greek god said gently, quickly reaching out to grab my elbow. His hand felt very cold.

I turned and saw his eyes quickly flash with concern. But it was gone just as quick, making me think I had imagined it. He stood there, looking as aloof as ever. I matched his icy stare with my stony glare.

Why in the world was he mad?

Or was he just unfriendly?

Not feeling dizzy anymore, I pulled my arm away. "Thanks for the bed," I said icily, storming out of the room.

What an arrogant bastard. What had I done to make him angry? He was the one who almost got me killed!

Well, technically, it was his driver. But still.

My mind was still reeling as I was wandering in the hallway of the Palace. It was exactly like how I imagined it to look like, very much like a fairytale castle. Were all castles like this?

_Hmm, where could the Prince and Princess be? Did Arosia even have a Prince and Princess?_

I thought of the much publicized royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton and I had realized, just now, that Arosia was barely in the news. Most especially its Royal Family. I did not know anything about them, I did not even know their names. And here I was, roaming their halls.

Soon enough, I found myself at the dining room. The table was long and enormous, the chairs plush and regal.

"Where has Sara gone to again?" an irritated voice floats from the room behind the double doors. "I need help with these vegetables."

"I sent her to the market to get some spices," another voice replied calmly. "Chop the vegetables yourself, Agatha. The soup is not very hard to make. You know we are short-staffed as of the moment."

Short-staffed? I needed a job – maybe I could get one here!

I walked over and slowly opened the double doors.

It was the largest kitchen I had ever been in. One woman was cooking at the stove, one woman was chopping up some vegetables and one woman looked like she was baking something. All three looked up when I entered.

"Can I help you?" the woman cooking barked. Her apron was smeared and she had a mean look.

The woman who was chopping some vegetables frowned. "If you start being nice to people, Agatha, people will not hate you so much," she told the woman cooking. Agatha frowned back at her and tended to her cooking. "Hello, Isabella. I am Mary Anne, chief of the kitchen staff." She smiled at me.

"It's Bella," I said. It was sort of an automatic reply of mine whenever someone would call me Isabella. "Wait, how do you know my name?"

Mary Anne's eyes crinkled when she smiled. "Passport, dear. You're the girl who got hit by Richard, aren't you?"

I nodded. "Did I hear you say you were short-staffed?"

Mary Anne looked surprised but she nodded. "Why, are you looking for a job? Aren't you a tourist?"

"Well, I was planning on touring Europe for an entire year before attending university. My funds are now running low so I need a temporary job," I answered her truthfully. "I'm just fresh out of high school so I don't really have any references." I looked at her hopefully. I hoped she would consider me even if I didn't have any references and certificates.

"Do you know how to cook?" Mary Anne asked, looking at me thoughtfully.

I nodded. "Sure, I cook for my Dad all the time. I can also help with the cleaning and I can run errands."

"Brilliant," Mary Anne said in a no-nonsense tone, nodding. "You will not be cooking anything anyway, only assisting the main staff. I suppose we could hire you temporarily, I have been searching for kitchen staff for over two months and I couldn't find anyone suitable. But I will have to run this by the King and Queen first."

I beamed. "Okay, sure!"

Mary Anne looked at me up and down. "In the meantime, you are supposed to be getting better. Why don't you wander around in the garden a bit while I go talk to the King and Queen? I will get you once they have approved." She gestured towards the glass door that led to the garden.

When I stepped out to the garden, I was immediately blown away. The garden was incredibly beautiful and immense. The grass was a happy shade of green and the flowers were in full bloom, sprinkling color all around. I walked over to the white gazebo and sat down on one of the white chairs. To my left, I could see a maze at a long distance. Behind it was a thick forest.

_I will explore you one day,_ I thought, staring at the maze with excitement. _That is, if the King and Queen decide to hire me._

I could hear a steady stream of water. It was very relaxing, but I couldn't see it anywhere. Where could it be? The sound seemed to come from the direction of the maze.

Pink and white flowers and vines interlaced the gazebo's crisscross walls and posts. I looked around to admire the flowers, almost feeling like a pretty princess in her garden. I jumped when I heard a throat clear.

"Are you following me around?" a familiar voice asked. I could almost see him smirking.

I turned slowly and found the Greek god standing just outside the gazebo.

I rolled my eyes so far back that I was afraid they'd stay back. "I got here first," I retorted. "You seem to be following me around."

"But I got to the garden first," he replied smoothly, smirk still in place. Was he mocking me?

I stood up, preparing to storm away when Mary Anne called my name. She was walking briskly towards the gazebo.

"Good news, Bella," she said with a smile. "The King and Queen have decided to take you in. Temporary or permanent, that will be up to you. They say you have been through such an ordeal, a job should be the least of your worries." She reached over and gave my arm a motherly squeeze.

"That is great news," I said, clasping my hands excitedly. "Thank you for asking them, Mary Anne!"

The Greek god cleared his throat again, obviously wanting some attention.

Mary Anne yelped a little. "Oh, Edward! I had not noticed you there. My apologies," she said, bowing a little. "Allow me to formally introduce the newest addition to our kitchen staff. This is Bella Swan. Bella, meet Edward – Prince of Arosia."

My eyes bulged.

I gulped.

The Greek god – he was a Prince? I was his servant?

He was my master?

Shoot. Me. Now.

I stared at my feet, feeling embarrassed. My cheeks felt very hot, I knew they were flaming red right now.

_God, why couldn't I have been nicer?_

"Pleasure to meet you, Bella."

I looked up and met his gaze.

Prince Edward smiled.

And my heart? It just about stopped beating.


End file.
